1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a new method for the biological preparation of a diol comprising culturing a microorganism genetically modified for the bioproduction of an aliphatic diol, wherein the microorganism comprises a metabolic pathway for the decarboxylation of a hydroxy-2-keto-aliphatic acid metabolite with two enzymes: an enzyme having a 2-keto acid decarboxylase activity and an enzyme having a hydroxy aldehyde reductase activity. The invention also concerns a modified microorganism for the production of an aliphatic diol.
2. Description of Related Art
Fermentative production of diols by culturing microorganism producing such diols are known in the art, including fermentative production with microorganisms genetically modified for an improved production of the diols. Production of such diols is described, inter alia, in the following documents: WO1996/035796, WO2001/012833, WO2004/033646, U.S. Pat. No. 7,267,972. In particular, production of 1,3-propanediol has already been described, involving vitamin B12-dependent enzymes, thereby making the production process very expensive.
There is an ongoing need for alternative solutions of modified microorganisms, to either or both produce diols from renewable sources of carbon and have potential improvement in the production of the diols, particularly with vitamin B12-independent pathways. These technical improvements may be on the overall yield of product being produced based on the energy necessary for such production and eventually, the level of impurities and by-products to be specifically controlled for isolation of the product and its marketing and further use.